Belarus will host a Russian Air Force regiment at a new base to be completed by 2015, the Russian Defense Minister announced after meeting the Belarus President.

“We are starting to look into the plan to create a Russian
air force base in Belarus with fighter jets. We hope that by 2015
an air force regiment will be based here,” Sergey Shoigu
announced.

The Russian defense chief added that a Russian air force HQ in
Belarus will be set up by 2014 and test flights by one wing of
fighter jets will start in the same year.

Russia will also deliver four battalions of S-300 surface-to-air
missiles to Belarus in 2014, Shoigu told the
press.

The Defense Minister emphasized that in future the Russian
Federation would contribute to the Belarus defense
capabilities.

Belarus has signed an agreement with Russia on creating a joint
anti-aircraft defense as did Russia’s eastern neighbor and ally,
Kazakhstan.

Currently there are two Russian military installations in
Belarus, one the radar station that is part of the missile strike
warning system, and the other a communications hub that provides
links to Russian nuclear submarines on combat duty.

Russia also has bases in Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and
Tajikistan. However, some of these installations are currently
under threat, though mostly for financial reasons.

Last year Russia and Kyrgyzstan restarted a row when the
country’s authorities attempted to raise the rent for Russia's base
there, and the situation was only resolved after President Putin
visited Bishkek.